Discusses the history and politics of H.R. 3801, an act to provide for the improvement of federal education research, statistics, evaluation, information, and dissemination, focusing on antecedents (the 1994 legislation), consequences of the 1994 election, experience of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, federal education research…

This article reports on the central recommendation of the federal task force for a way to better handle dropout and graduation rates. Made up of 10 academics and government statisticians, the panel comprising the Task Force on Graduation, Completion, and Dropout Indicators was formed in the fall of 2003 to advise the U.S. Department of Education's…

This bibliography lists 40 books and 18 periodical articles, published between 1954 and 1976, which deal with accountability and responsibility in governmental-political communication. Most of the works were written after 1970. The topics covered include: ethically suspect communication practices of the federal government, both prior to and during…

This report focuses on the role of the federal government as the chief vehicle for the expression of the national interest in postsecondary education. It is addressed not only to federal officials but to all those concerned with questions of national educational leadership. Two over-riding themes dominate. First, in addition to supporting access…

A survey was conducted throughout Montgomery Community College to gather information regarding the time spent by various units on the completion of reports for external agencies. Data were obtained for the actual reports filed between July 1, 1975 and April 1, 1976, and for the last three months of the fiscal year an estimate based on previous…

University administrators are expected by federal agencies to detect, investigate, and judge scientific fraud and misconduct on their campuses. Both National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health place primary responsibility on universities for spotting cases of scientific misconduct. (MLW)

American education has always had its critics, and undoubtedly always will. Nonetheless, there are signs that the educational environment is improving in unexpected ways. This issue of the Brookings Papers on Education Policy, the eighth volume springing from a series of annual meetings sponsored by the Brookings Institution to examine specific…

In 2001, the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans was created to develop a multi-year plan for closing the achievement gap facing Hispanic Americans and attaining the goals established by the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. The Commission defined five strategic imperatives: coordinating a national…

In 1999, researchers conducted case studies on 12 states and multiple local sites to document how welfare reform and other changes affected child welfare agencies, following up on 1997 case studies. They conducted interviews with welfare and child welfare stakeholders and focus groups with child welfare workers. Respondents discussed the impact of…

The increasing demand for social work clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs to be accountable for outcomes of client intervention is seen as a threat to the social work profession's leadership role. One program is examined to highlight system obstacles and administrative approaches that can reduce barriers between the academic and…

Presents an overview of the Council of Chief State School Officers' annual report on state indicators of the condition of elementary and secondary education and outlines the indicators now being reported and used by states, districts, national organizations, federal agencies, and educators, explaining the link to Title I accountability. (SM)

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Miller Time: Committee Chairman Outlines NCLB Improvement Priorities; Sets September Goal for House Reauthorization…

Drug law enforcement has become the number one criminal justice priority of the United States Department of Justice and is an area of great concern to those involved in the juvenile justice system. The new philosophy of juvenile justice holds juveniles responsible for their conduct, emphasizing an accountability or justice model which focuses on…

Presenting an historical review of policy re Maine's American Indians, this monograph documents the development of: Indian policy prior to 1965 (treaties and legislation); the initial years of Maine's Department of Indian Affairs (DIA); Indian recognition and the courts; and recognition of Maine's off-reservation Indians. Specifically, this paper…

An overview of U.S. academic achievement and the role of the federal government is offered in this report. It looks at scores on national tests, such as the SAT, and finds that although some improvements in math scores are evident, overall, students still score below scores from the 1970s. Furthermore, it is claimed that American students' math…